Newcomers expected to impact FSU in 2014

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- When Jimbo Fisher is asked about his 2014 class -- and he’s been asked a lot -- he smiles and cracks a joke, one that has become part of the fifth-year Florida State coach’s preseason vernacular.

“I'll put it this way: We may get caught by the game warden for having our [fishing] live well too full,” he cracks, “but I'm not throwing any of them back.”

Melina Vastola/USA TODAY Sports"That's the kind of guys you want here, guys who want to get on the field quickly," Jimbo Fisher said.

Maybe he’s just happy this offseason he’s being asked about newcomers instead of a quarterback competition or whether the Seminoles are “back.” Or maybe it is possible Fisher really does expect greatness out of this 2014 class, which RecruitingNation ranked No. 3 in February.

Through summer workouts and the first two weeks of preseason camp, Fisher said this class is far along as physically as he has ever seen. That is due in large part to 13 linemen Fisher signed, seven of whom tip the scales at 290 pounds or more. While linemen are usually relegated to a redshirt season upon arrival, Fisher said he sees a use for several of the newcomers to play early. Over the course of the last three classes, nine freshman linemen have been letterwinners, and Fisher has played junior college transfers immediately, as well.

Mentally, however, this group of 28 is as far along as any of the five classes Fisher’s recruited. There wasn’t a single academic casualty among the signees, and the 2014 signees began studying the playbook as soon as possible. The coaching staff has commended the Seminoles’ upperclassmen throughout camp for tutoring the younger players, too.

“All of those guys have been very coachable and they’re willing to learn. That’s been huge,” first-year defensive coordinator Charles Kelly said. “The whole class in general, size speed and athleticism has been very impressive.

Expect some of the 2014 praise to subside as fall camp ends and preparations for Oklahoma State begin, but there should be more than a handful of freshmen who make significant contributions as freshmen. Receivers Ermon Lane and Travis Rudolph were in the top six among receivers nationally in the 2014 class, and in practices freshman defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi has been “that dude,” according to end Mario Edwards Jr.

Over the last three seasons, 29 freshmen have earned letters and 14 were named to at least one freshmen All-America team. Those numbers should continue to grow in 2014. Sophomore Jalen Ramsey, a Thorpe Award watch list member in 2014, said Florida State embraces its freshmen like few programs, and there is rarely a grudge if a younger player earns a starting job from an upperclassman.

“As a team, we want the best people on the field beside us. When you have the best people on the field, you don’t have to worry about doing extra roles,” Ramsey said. “If they’re the best, then definitely play them.”

Ramsey said he entered his freshman season with a mindset that he was not going to be outworked and would secure at least a spot in the defensive backfield’s rotation. He ended up starting every game.

“It inspires [the freshmen],” Fisher said. “That’s the kind of guys you want here, guys who want to get on the field quickly.”